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Kontum Missionary and Friendship (KMF) was founded by former seminarians and friends of the Diocese of Kontum in 2000 as a non-profit organization of charity recognized by the U.S. Government. KMF help the poor, the handicapped, the lepers, the orphans and supports the education of poor students without resources in Kontum Diocese in Viet Nam, regardless of religion or ethnic origin. Everyone can join KMF by accepting its goals and supporting its activities.

All donations are tax-deductable. Federal tax identification number is 42-1757220 (valid only in USA).

Dear friends and benefactors,

The diocese of Kontum, Viet Nam is known for hosting many ethnic minority tribes living in abject poverty, in many places without electricity and running water. Located in the central highlands of Viet Nam, these ethnic minorities have suffered for many years from hunger and diseases to such an extent that a missionary has said about them: “These people are very brave ... brave in sustaining hunger.”

The Kontum Missionnary and Friendship (KMF) works closely with the Bishop, the parish priests, the nuns, Caritas and other associations and volunteers, to provide direct assistance to the sick, the handicapped, the orphans, the poor students, and the elderly. Given the immense needs and the limited financial resources, KMF has concentrated its assistance to the following four (4) programs:

1. Provision of healthcare for the poor

With the generous help of donors, KMF has built a dispensary near Kontum, called CAO THUONG Dispensary or Rev. FAUGERE Dispensary, named after a French missionnary, in order to provide basic and emergency healthcare to the poor people living in the 14-15 villages in the surrounding area.

In addition, the team of doctor and nurses also travels to more remote villages to provide care and medicine to poor people. We have also established a Mobile Pharmacy to provide medicine to other villages through a network of priests and nuns.

We need your continued contributions in order to pay for doctors and nurses, medical equipment and medicine. With your help, we will be able to sustain these activities to benefit the poorest of the poor.

It is often said that“Education is the key to the future.” Sadly though, most children in Kontum lack the opportunities that we in industrialized nations often take for granted: the ability to attend formal schooling to gain a necessary education that prepares for employment and self-sustenance. For these children, lack of education translates into a very bleak future.

Heeding the call of Kontum bishop, Most Rev. Micae Hoang Duc Oanh, some priests have established student houses to offer free accommodation and food to poor students so that they can go to school. However, in view of the great number of young people in need and the limited resources, there is still a significant number of young people without a place to stay. KMF is currently supporting a number of such student houses.

For just the cost of a bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup (Pho) a month (equivalent to US $5), you could help one student receive an education that most likely will assist him or her for a lifetime.

KMF's assistance consists of providing funds to build or renovae student houses or where they exist, to provide funds to improve their meals to allow them to sustain themselves throughout the days and be able to study.

Your continued help will make a huge difference in their lives and contribute to brighten their currently bleak future.

The Bishop of Kontum, Most Rev. Micae Hoang Duc Oanh, once said: “Based on published research about leprosy in the world, Asia is the continent that has the highest number of lepers, and in Asia, the highest number comes from South East Asia, and in South East Asia, Viet Nam has the highest number and in Viet Nam, the provinces of Gia Lai and Kontum (that makes up the Diocese of Kon Tum) have the highest number. In front of this reality, we may all be overwhelmed by sadness and pain. However, despite our sadness and pain, we cannot detach ourselves from our duty to take care of our brothers and sisters. And despite all the difficulties we may have, we cannot separate ourselves from our brothers and sisters.” For this reason, we need your help to provide care to the lepers and thus hopefully contribute to the eradication of this dangerous disease in Viet Nam.

However small the amount of donation, we will make every effort in making every penny count towards helping these less fortunate but still fellow children of God.

Due to extremely poor living conditions and lack of basic healthcare, the life expectancy of ethnic people in Kontum diocese is alarmingly short, thus leaving hundreds of children orphaned at an early age and without any resources. In Kontum Diocese, there are currently a dozen orphanages catering for the needs of some 10,000 orphans. Some of them receive help from various donors while some others receive less as they are less visible, being located far away from city centre or important economic centres or main road networks.

With your support and generosity, KMF is assisting two (2) such less visible orphanages run by Ya (ethnic minority) nuns, namely Vinh Son 5 and Vinh Son 6, hosting a total of 185 orphans.

KMF's assistance consists mainly of improving their meals that are extremely poor. By adding some fish and some meat to their diet, we aim at improving their health and facilitating their physical as well as mental development, thus better preparing them for the future.

KMF is also assisting the handicapped in a centre for handicapped run by nuns.

With just US $1 per day, you can make a difference in the life of these unfortunate children and would go a long way to brighten their future.

Following are some short videos about orphans and handicapped children:

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). God knows whatever you do and will reward you and your family tenfold. KMF members will always pray for you and your families, and each month our priests will celebrate a special mass for all benefactors. On behalf of the poor in Kontum, we thank you for your continued generosity. God bless you and your families.